The Origins of Pancakes
Pancakes are one of the most popular breakfast foods around the world. From fluffy buttermilk pancakes to thin crepes, almost every culture has its own version of pancakes. But who actually invented pancakes? The origins of pancakes are ancient and somewhat debated.
Evidence suggests that pancakes may have been one of the earliest prepared foods in human history. Flour, water, and heat are all that is needed to create a simple, flat cake. Archaeologists have found pancake-like breads in prehistoric lake villages dating back to the Stone Age over 30,000 years ago.
Early pancakes were unleavened, meaning they did not contain a rising agent like baking powder or yeast. They would have been a simple flatbread made from crushed grains and water cooked on a hot stone. These primitive pancakes likely originated independently all around the world.
Ancient Pancakes
The first recorded evidence of anything resembling modern pancakes comes from ancient Greece. Greek literature mentions thin cakes called tagenites which were made from wheat flour and olive oil and cooked in a tagenon or frying pan.
In ancient Rome, a pancake-like dish called alia dulcia, meaning “other sweets” was described in the 1st century BC cookbook Apicius. It consisted of a thick flour-and-egg batter sweetened with honey and pepper.
Other ancient pancakes include Chinese bing which have been around since the Sung Dynasty (960-1279 AD). In Medieval Europe, pancakes were made from wheat flour, milk, and eggs on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent. English pancakes were known as pannycakes or cryspeys in the 15th century.
The First Modern Pancakes
While pancakes have clearly existed since prehistoric times, the first recognizable modern pancakes appear in medieval cookbooks from 14th century England.
The Forme of Cury, written in 1390, includes a recipe for raggmunk called Crepeus. It consists of flour, eggs, and milk fried in butter. The pancakes could be served as a dessert with spices and sugar.
Another 14th century English cookbook, The Good Huswifes Handmaide for the Kitchin, has a recipe for “pancakes” calling for egg yolks, flour, milk, and saffron. These English pancakes were the earliest version of the fluffy pancakes we enjoy today.
As pancakes evolved, rising agents like yeast and later baking powder were added to make them lighter and fluffier. The word “pancake” came from the Middle English pannekake in the 15th century. By the Elizabethan era, pancakes were a popular breakfast food.
The History of Pancakes Around the World
While Medieval England may have developed the first modern pancake recipe, cultures worldwide created their own unique pancake traditions. Here is how pancakes evolved across the globe:
France – Crepes
French crepes originated in the Brittany region of France in the 13th century. Unlike thicker English pancakes, crepes are very thin and delicate. Traditional Breton crepes are made with buckwheat flour, milk, eggs, butter, and a pinch of salt. Popular savory and sweet fillings were added later.
Crepes became popular across France by the mid-1800s. Thinner batters allowed crepes to be cooked on both sides to achieve a lace-like pattern of golden brown spots. French crepe vendors were a fixture on Parisian street corners by the late 1800s.
Russia – Blini and Oladyi
Blini and oladyi are traditional thin pancakes in Russian cuisine. Blini likely derived from old Slavic wheat flour flatbreads that were eaten before Easter. The word blini comes from blintz, an old Slavic word for pancake.
Blini batter is made from buckwheat or wheat flour and yeasted, giving the pancakes a distinctively tangy flavor. Softened butter is often added for richness. In pre-revolutionary Russia, blini were considered a symbol of Maslenitsa or “Butter Week”, a springtime pancake festival before Lent.
Oladyi are thick, soft Russian pancakes made from wheat flour and yeast. Unlike blini, oladyi are not refrigerated before cooking, so they are fluffier. They are often served with caviar or smoked fish.
Greece – Tiganites
Greek pancakes called tiganites were first described over 2000 years ago. Traditional tiganites are made from a simple batter of self-rising flour, milk, eggs, and a bit of lemon zest or vanilla. They are fried in olive oil and served drizzled with honey, cinnamon sugar, or chocolate syrup.
Tiganites remain a beloved morning treat across Greece and Greek communities today. They are thicker than French crepes but thinner than American pancakes.
China – Cong You Bing
The Chinese have made pancakes called bing or cong you bing, meaning “scallion oil cakes”, since the Sung Dynasty in the 10th century. They are made from a yeast-raised dough filled with scallions, crisp-fried, and served drizzled with soy sauce, hot sauce, or duck sauce.
Other popular Chinese pancake dishes include egg pancakes called dan bing and jianbing, a beloved street food of a savory crepe with egg, scallions, and crisp crackers. Chinese pancakes are typically eaten as a snack or part of dim sum.
Africa – Injera
Injera is a spongy sourdough flatbread found in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisines. Thought to be one of the oldest pancakes in the world, injera dough is made from the tiny teff grain, fermented for several days. This gives the pancake its signature tangy, slightly sour taste.
Injera is cooked on a flat pan in a large spiraling circle. It acts as both plate and utensil in Ethiopian dining, with spicy meat and vegetable stews scooped up with torn pieces of injera.
India – Dosa, Puda, and Cheele
There are many beloved pancake dishes across the regional cuisines of India. Here are just a few:
– Dosa – Large, thin rice and lentil crepes, crispy on the outside and soft inside. Often served with sambar and chutney.
– Puda – Thick pancakes from Odisha made from rice batter with shredded coconut and jaggery.
– Cheele – Steamed lentil pancakes stuffed with spices, vegetables, coconut, or sweet jaggery from Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Mexico – Huevos Motuleños
In the Yucatan region of Mexico, huevos motuleños are a traditional breakfast of eggs over easy, refried black beans, ham, and peas all served over a handmade tortilla. The dish was created in Motul in the 1900s and the tortilla essentially acts as a pancake.
Some other popular Mexican pancakes include sincronizadas, tortillas filled with ham and cheese, and cuestiones, corn masa pancakes stuffed with ground meat.
The Evolution of Pancakes in America
Pancakes hold a special place in American cuisine and culture. Here is a look at some key moments in the history of American pancakes:
Colonial Era
English and Dutch colonists brought their pancake recipes across the Atlantic to America in the 17th century. An early American cookbook, American Cookery by Amelia Simmons published in 1796, contains recipes for “Johny Cake, or Hoe Cake” made from cornmeal and “Indian Slapjack” which was like a buckwheat pancake.
The Rise of Griddlecakes and Hotcakes
In early America, pancakes were known as “griddlecakes” because they were cooked on griddles in front of the fire. As cast iron stoves became more common in the mid-1800s, pancakes cooked on the flat stovetop surface were called hotcakes or flapjacks.
New leavening agents like pearlash, saleratus, and later baking powder produced lighter and taller American flapjacks. By the late 1800s, pancake recipes appear in popular cookbooks like The Boston Cooking School Cook Book by Fannie Farmer.
Pancake Houses and Mixes
The first pancake houses opened in the 1920s and 30s in the U.S. The Original Pancake House opened in Portland, Oregon in 1953 and inspired a wave of nationwide franchises. Instant pancake mixes like Aunt Jemima’s, Bisquick, and Hungry Jack made home cooking even easier.
Pancake chains like IHOP, Bob’s Big Boy, and Waffle House cemented pancakes as an iconic American food. Today, pancakes remain a cherished staple of weekend family breakfasts across America.
Pancake Fun Facts
- The earliest pancakes were made of crushed grains and water cooked on a hot stone.
- Medieval English pancakes were flavored with spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
- Aluminum baking powder was patented in 1856 and revolutionized lighter and fluffier American pancakes.
- Whole wheat pancakes are called “wheatcakes”
- The world’s largest pancake was made in Rochdale, UK in 1994 and was 15 meters in diameter.
- Pancake Day races stem from a British tradition of women racing to the village center to use up eggs, milk, and lard before Lent.
- The Denny’s in Truckee, CA set a world record in 2020 by making 8,000 pancakes in 8 hours.
Conclusion
While we may never know exactly who first put flour, liquid, and heat together to create the earliest pancake, their simple appeal is undeniable. Pancakes hold a beloved place in cuisines across the globe. From thin French crepes to fluffy American hotcakes, the possibilities of the humble pancake continue to evolve. Their delicious versatility ensures that pancakes will remain a cherished breakfast treat for centuries to come.